Smyrna times., 1887-04-27
For tHe Smyruu Tin
The Peach Basket Issue.

AHO programme VIII be varied and
cannot fail to please. ALLER
For The Smyrna Times.
The Peach Basket Issue.
The extract from personal note of
a prominent peach grower of New
Castle county, printed in the last issue
OF the TIMES, headed "Auother View
OF the Basket Question:" has attracted
my attention and critical comment. II
IS quite apparent to one who has been
sending peaches to New York ever
since direct communication with that
city was established bv railroad and
one entirely familiar with the mode of
selling peaches there, that . A Droni-
henC peach grower" is water shipper
OF trult, and while his remarks as an
Piled to Philadelphia may be entireiv
correct, they are misleading and iurur-
rect as applied to New YORK CITY. The
commission charged for selling peaches
by the merchants in New York hereto
lore has been ten per cent. and guar
antee return of baskets to the growers
throe per cent. of which was paid to
the agents located at the yarious rail
road stations for soliciting consign-
ments, loading the fruit in the ears ana
generally such other work as may he
necessary. These agents NAV be
termed middlemen, and the comnenso.
llon OF three per cent. they receive Davs
! them well for their service From
large growers and shippers of fruit
| they receive but one per cent. of the
commission charged for their services
while from small growers or miscclla, |
neous shippers they receive full three
per cent, on the gross sales or price rhe |
fruit sells for in New York city. Monv |
growers rely entirely on these local |
agents to forward their fruit for them
having no knowledge themselves of the |
factor who sells their fruit, unless per
cnance they may 60 to their farms !
Whlle on their annual visit looking m
conslgnments. The carriage on peacLes |
mas always been four cents a basket |
ana whether actually carted or not the |
charge was uniformly the same.
Having thus fully detailed the mode .
OF shipping, selling peaches and CHARGES
IN New York city, ] will proceed 10
analyze further the statements made
by A prominent peach grower ,
When in 1871 a meeting was held in
Philadelphia of peach growers. dealers
ana commission merchants to consider
the return of peach baskets and ogrea
on sum of money to be deposited Nv
tne buyer OF the fruit with the commits
SION merchants to insure their return
All ol the growers present were unani.
mousIy IN favor of paying seven instead
vi HVe per cent. commission, i'm order
that they might have their baskets
promptly returned or paid for. The
author OF the personal note at that
tlme, II the writer is not very much
mistaken, was decidedly i'm favor of
such an arrangement, which has worked
so well and been so satisfactory to
Shippers who send their fruit to Pbilo.
delphla, that no !'Open question has
ever been discussed by either growers
OF receivers that the writer is aware of
as TO which was the better rarranpement
the old or the new. Before the present
mode In Philadelphia was agreed ON
the growers paid five per cent. and lost
very many of their baskets wbereos
under the present arrangement tbov
get paid for all baskets not returned
and 1t is very doubtful if A prominent
peach grower" " would be willing tn ro.
turn to the old mode of seliino hi
peaches without a guarantee of the rc.
turn OF his baskets. He saws there i
no question now at issue that has NOT
Deen thoroughly discussed before y
4es, but there is. A forced issua L,,
tne commission merchants of New
York with the growers as TO wbatbor
their baskets shall be given as a nre.
MUM to the buyers of their frnit or
hot: rms IS the question at issue. and
their dictatOrial spirit has so aronseJ
the Indignation Of the peach growers
ChaU tne whole question has been re- !
opened for discussion.
Again, he says: 1t is fact lono os.
taDllshed by experience that fruit win
Drlng more with than without the
basket, and If the commission man i
made responsible for the basket NAT
uraIly ne Will save the basket if he.bos 7
10 take less for the fruit" That is n
very plausible statement to the casnaI I
reader. But is it true? Not ot oU Y
1 ne dealer in peaches has the ontinr
when he buys 100 or 1000 baskets or 5
Irult, to take the baskets with the rruit
by paying in addition to the nrice
agreed on for the peaches a stinuin,od !
sum for the baskets also, which he nav
return at any time when the commit
sion man will refund to him the snn,
paid. If the buyer sees Droner to Lont,
lls. ,'Ie o.SAets ne can do so and the grower
gets paid for his baskets not retnrn,d
y Is tne demand and supply that gov
,..iI :. 10 UnS price OF peaches, like all other
5oIIi,ilouiCies, II, ana not the basket that T.
loius tnem. 1t Is the fruit the dealers
%ahC ana not the baskets. They have j
IL OPUlOh 20 keep or return them as r
.uey may deslre As a general thing
y Thls system the growers get their
back for use over and again II
'hu the proportion not returned is com -
Iaratively small. Y
1t Is decidedly for the interest of the
'each growers to have their baskets
eturned TO them rather than a rednc-
ion Vi three per cent. in commission
SiIhout " guarantee Of return baskets
nc Ihree per cent. could readily he
aVed by clubbing together and Slim.
ftnS Vneir own lrult. With the return >,
I tnelr baskets they are beyond the u
"Dll'ty OF oelng extOrtiOned in price of l
askets oy the makers, besides alwavs
" HFiilS Vhe'r baskets marked ready for
Sc SO ~hen s needed. Assuming peaches
eli 'Of on cents a basket in New York
le price very many sold for last wear. 6
men there was only partial cron -
nd we have for freight and return Of
asket 10 cents, carriage 4 cents. com. IL
Ilsslon . cents, basket given away with
le irult o cents, aggregatng 30 cents -
hich deduct from 80 cents leaves oo
4nts net for the growers.
Wlli A prominent peach grover -
'ad this communication carefully and
zen decide whether he would he
ililng to let his baskets 90 as a pift
lth his fruit. Very doubtful. &C